Toad in the hole is a dish that tastes as homely and savoury now as it did when Mrs Beeton gave her recipe for it over 150 years ago. Though it’s rarely made with leftover meat these days, it’s still a relatively thrifty pleasure, and one that’s easily made veggie-friendly with vegetable oil, meat-free sausages and vegetable stock. Buttered peas, however, are non-negotiable.

1 Brown the sausages

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Melt half the dripping in a frying pan over a medium heat, then brown the sausages on all sides: this might seem a faff, but, trust me, it’s worth it to avoid flabby, pink bangers. You can use a vegetable oil, if you prefer, but dripping will give the batter a better flavour.

2 Start the batter

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat vigorously with a whisk or electric beater, until thick and voluminous. Beat in a little of the flour and milk alternately, until you have a smooth batter, taking care not to over-mix it once the flour is in there, otherwise it will develop the gluten and make the toad tough.

3 Flavour the batter

Measure out 85ml ale. Stir a little of this into a tablespoon of mustard until thoroughly mixed, then stir the mustard mix and the rest of the 85ml portion of ale into the flour and eggs. Leave to sit for at least 15 minutes; if you like, you can make the batter in advance – it will be fine in the fridge for a few hours.

Stir a little of the ale and a tablespoon of mustard into the batter mix.

4 Heat the tin and start on the gravy

Spoon the remaining fat into a roasting tin (mine’s about 26cm x 21cm) and put it in the oven to heat up – a hot tin makes for a more impressive rise and a crisper finish. In the meantime, start the gravy by thinly slicing the onions. Once the sausages are browned, scoop them out of the pan and set aside, tipping any fat from the pan into the roasting tin.

5 Brown the onions

Put the frying pan back on a medium-low heat – there’s no need to wash it, because any sausagey residue will just add to the gravy’s flavour – and add the oil. Stir in the onions and a pinch of salt, and leave to cook gently while you assemble the toad, stirring occasionally to ensure the onions cook evenly and don’t burn.

Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the same frying pan you used for the sausages, stirring occasionally, and brown gently.

6 Add the batter to the hot tin

Take the hot roasting tin out of the oven and put it on a medium hob, if possible (it’s no disaster if an induction hob makes this a problem, but, again, the hotter the tin, the better the results). Pour in the batter, which should sizzle satisfyingly as it hits the tin.

7 Assemble the dish, and bake

Arrange the sausages in the batter, and return the tin to the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the batter is risen and deep golden brown around the edges. Meanwhile, once the onions are soft and well caramelised, add the sugar and vinegar to the pan and cook, stirring, until thick and sticky. Stir in the flour, and cook for a couple more minutes, stirring so it doesn’t catch.

8 Flavour the gravy

Gradually mix the remaining 200ml ale into the onion pan, stirring to dissolve the flour in the liquid, then bring to a brisk simmer. Leave it to bubble away for about five minutes, then stir in the remaining tablespoon of mustard and the stock, and bring back to a boil.

Mix the remaining ale and flour into the onion pan, then bring to a brisk simmer.

9 Finishing touches

Turn down the heat and simmer the gravy for about 10 minutes, until reduced and thickened to your liking. Season to taste, stirring in more mustard if you think it needs it, then serve alongside the toad in the hole with a big bowl of buttered peas.